Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostnanoyel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostnanoyel’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDOSTNANOYEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidostnanoyel’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum plantsthat are freely branching, early and freely flowering and haveattractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor in May, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermumecklonis identified as code number O 45707, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number O 67238, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands in October, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands sinceNov. 1, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostnanoyel’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fidostnanoyel’ as a new and distinctOsteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parentselection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the female parentselection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parentselection primarily in flowering habit as plants of the new Osteospermumflower earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum ‘Margarita Yellow’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the newOsteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Margarita Yellow’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants        of ‘Margarita Yellow’.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum flowered earlier than plants        of ‘Margarita Yellow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Fidostnanoyel’ grown in containertrays.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the spring in container trays, each traywith six 9-cm compartments, in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier,The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and culturalpractices which approximate those generally used in commercialOsteospermum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 17° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographand description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostnanoyel’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 45707, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 67238, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About twelve days            at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About two weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 11 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit            with about twelve lateral branches developing per plant;            pinching is not required, however pinched plants will be            larger than non-pinched plants. Length: About 7 cm to 8 cm.            Diameter: About 1 mm to 3 mm. Internode length: About 0.5 cm            to 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Aspect: About 20° to            45° from vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close            to 144C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Lobed;            serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,            lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to            137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 145B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to            slightly obovate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences            positioned beyond the foliar plane on moderately strong            peduncles; inflorescences terminal and axillary;            inflorescences face upright; ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 20 to 30            inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to frost in the            autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about            six weeks after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°            C., inflorescences last about 2.5 weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid. Color: Close to 137A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle diameter:            About 7 mm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm. Receptacle color:            Close to 146A.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:            Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded to slightly            obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence            and arrangement: About 13 to 15 in a single whorl. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 7C; towards the apex,            close to 7A. When opening, lower surface: Longitudinal            stripes, close to 7D, 177A and 174A. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 13D; towards the base, close to NN155D;            color becoming closer to 159C with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Longitudinal stripes, close to 174A            and 174C; color becoming closer to 13A, 177A and 174A with            development.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Number            of disc florets per inflorescence: About 20 to 22. Color,            immature and mature: Apex: Close to 91A. Mid-section: Close            to NN155D. Base: Close to NN155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 19 to 20 in            1.5 whorls. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 1 mm to 3 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 138A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncles: About 5 cm. Length,            axillary peduncles: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 15B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc            florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.            Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style            color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostnanoyel’ asillustrated and described.